Education

Timothy Archibald knows that his son Elijah is different.
The San Francisco photographer began photographing his 5 year old child as a way of coping with Eli's Autism diagnosis.
He recognized that his son wasn't like other kids, but he was anxious to understand his child as best as he could.
So he start photographing Eli at age 5 as a portrait project.
It drew father and son closer together, and helped Archibald better understand his child's unique perspective.
His interaction with objects shows how he perceives the world around him.
"I wanted him to be aware of how different he was and see that as an asset."
While creating this project, Archibald grew to appreciate Eli's quirks, and he learned to restrain his desire to control situations as a professional photographer, and follow his son's lead.
The collection of photographs has been published as a book, and can be purchased here.All photos (c) Timothy Archibald

What's more fun than a barrel of puppies?
Philosopher Milton Bradley tells us it's a Barrel of Monkeys.
When it comes down to it, you can't beat the classics.
These juvenile orangutans live at an animal center in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, in the Indonesian part of Borneo. Most of them were pets, taken from their parents while very young.
They're on their way to school, where they'll learn the skills they need to survive in the wild, such as nest building, foraging, climbing and hiding.
Twice a day the 80 orangutans make their way from their dormitory to the forest. Like a lot of kids, they're essentially lazy and don't want to walk so they're transported by wheelbarrows.
The wheelbarrows let the staff move them from their night quarters into the forest much faster than if they had to carry or walk with the Orangutans. They can take as many as 11 in each load.
Some of the orangutans enjoy the ride. Others look apprehensive, but still prefer it to walking.
International Animal Rescue centre, located in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, goes through about 80 wheelbarrows a year. They tend to rust in the humid jungle and the wheels often break on the rough track.
Lis Key, Spokesman for the International Animal Rescue, explains "The wheelbarrows don't last long on the bumpy tracks at the orangutan center and in the Indonesian humidity. So we're constantly appealing for more funds to buy new wheelbarrows. It's no fun pushing a barrow full of primates around with a flat tire, that's for sure."
We're not sure we agree. It looks like it could be more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

Ten year old Tang Chu, who lives in Ghizhou, China was trying to watch his favorite cartoons when he became annoyed by a noise from outside.
Workman Liu Mai was using his electric drill to install new lights outside the 8th floor apartment.
While most ten year olds would probably be driven by curiosity, Tang Chu just wanted to stop the noise. He grabbed a knife from the kitchen, and cut the workman's safety rope.
That left him dangling 100 feet up by a single rope. His workmate Zhang Pan heard his screams, and called firemen, who were able to winch Liu Mai to safety on the 11th floor.
Tang Chu said that the builders were too loud and it was distracting him as he tried to watch his favorite cartoons. He has since apologized for his actions.
Father Tang Peng said, "He just didn't think. We have apologized and bought the man a new rope."
"We also gave him a good talking too and explained what he did was very dangerous.
"He has promised he will not do something similar again. I think we may also need to take him for some anger management therapy."
Just make sure the therapist keeps his voice down.

Even though they report on crimes involving guns, most journalists don't know anything about firearms.
So they've come up with a pictorial guide to help describe the guns they're talking about.
Below: A kid holding an AK-47 Assault Rifle

You expect the school where you send your kid to shape young minds. Ballina High School in northeast New South Wales, Australia boasts in their description:
"The school's culture reflects a commitment to strong discipline and a pride in belonging, as reflected in the wearing of school uniform and respect for the rights of others."
With annual events like Remembrance Day, Senior Formal, Swimming Carnival,
Recognition of major art works and wood projects
Volunteers, the Toke Visit
And Slave Day
You would expect an environment of safety and respect for every student.
12 year-old James Webb, a Year 7 student at Ballina High, had his arm broken while at school.
A spokesman for the Department of Education, on behalf of Ballina High School, said the boy was “pushed over and fallen on by another boy” during a game of grab football, a game that had been repeatedly banned.
James’ mother Vikki Webb has been told by fellow students her son was swung around by his arm, and then jumped on by a fellow Year 7 student. Ms Webb said one student told her the attacker laughed afterwards.
“The principal told me the kid didn’t deliberately do it but I think the school is trying to sweep it under the carpet,” she said.
Year 12 student Shoni Reilly posted on the Northern Star’sFacebook page that the behaviour of James’ attacker was not the fault of the school or its teachers.
“The acting principals and teachers at Ballina High have the best interests of all children at heart,” she wrote. “They can’t physically control the actions of each student and their actions in response to this incident would follow the precedent set for all students.”
School captain John Parker posted that teachers had warned students against playing football.
“If you believe the school has not given this ‘attacker’ long enough, don’t blame the school when they can only interpret the rulings regarding these actions that are given to them from higher up,” he wrote.
“Ballina High School is a fantastic school, with great facilities, great teachers and great systems of working things.”

When it comes to skating under cars, a six year old has beaten all other contenders flat.
Gagan Satish, only six years old, is from Bangalore, India. He's become a celebrity in his own community, and is rapidly gaining fans around the world.
Gagan, who received his first pair of roller skates at the age of three, covered 230 feet in just 29 seconds.
What makes his accomplishment unique is that he skates close to the ground.
His face remains no more than five inches from the pavement.
That's how he performs his signature feat.
Gagan likes to skate under cars.
"I love skating," he said. "I have been doing it since I was three years old. My next goal is to skate underneath 100 cars. I also want to go to the Olympics."
His record 29 second run took him under 37 cars.
His amazing flexibility allows him to do the splits and slide right under the chassis.
Gagan trains rigorously to keep up his skills. He starts the day at 5:00 AM and spends a few hours being coached before going off to school.
After school, he skates in the streets, spending a couple of hours on speed training and muscle flexibility before he goes into his limbo position.
Gagan has inspired some of his friends to take up limbo skating. His coach, Yatish Gowda, expressed great pride in his young student.

Child mortality rates have plummeted in the last few decades as we've become more cognizant of the potential dangers, and technology has advanced and recognized that safety is just as important as function. The warnings from a previous era are no longer adequate.
It's paramount that parents recognize the dangers in their homes and make sure their kids remain safe. To that end we present these child safety tips.
Check the closet and under the bed to be sure that there are no monsters hiding there.
When mounting the child on a wall, make sure that you use hardware that is designed for the weight of the child.
Furniture should be designed to be used around children. Fully extend your drawers to be sure that the furniture won't tip over on your kid.
Decorative hardware and drawer pulls should not have any sharp edges or your child may be in danger of falling when he's hanging from the drawer.
When you're washing your baby, don't fill the tub all the way. Always use the gentle cycle.
Encourage the kids to help with the household chores to get the job done more quickly.
Soft cuddly toys are preferable to large electronic devices for play time.
Some toys are dangerous if used improperly. Young children should always use them under the supervision of someone older, preferably not an older sibling.
Encourage sibling relationships. When one child is playing, younger brothers or sisters should always be included.
If you let your child eat in his room, make sure he properly disposes of the containers and leftovers.
Make sure that the electrical outlets in your house are child safe by testing conduction potential.
The "taste test" is the most accurate way to check for lethal current.
Keep your cocaine locked up in a childproof container.
When traveling with your child, bring along a favorite toy, and make him feel as much at home as possible.
Make sure that your child isn't past his recommended shelf life.
Toilet training is important for both the child's and parents' well-being. Encourage them to use it regularly by letting them entertain themselves while in the bathroom.
Eventually they'll learn to use it like a grown-up.
Teach them to flush often or the toilet might clog.
Kids learn by doing, so let them try things out until they learn to do it properly.
Toys and games should be age and size appropriate. Don't let your kids play with something that's too big for them just because you have it on hand.
Your kids' friends will have a lot of influence on them, so get to know the people they hang out with.
Learn about what they like and dislike, and try not to be too judgmental.
Breast feeding is recommended up to a certain age, but don't smear your breasts with poison until after the babies have been fed.
Including the child in the cooking process can teach him about where food comes from, and to make healthy choices.
Keep sugary snacks hidden so your child doesn't eat too much at one time.
"Special" edible treats should only be eaten by children in moderation.
Well padded furniture will increase the chance of a soft landing.
When on vacation, be sure to arrange some activities for the kids' benefit.
Follow our simple safety tips to keep your kids happy and healthy.

The mountain lion, also known as the cougar, puma, and panther isn't especially large, but they can bound up to 40 feet and leap 15 feet up to a tree. Typically found in the West, mountain lions have been sighted in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Missouri, and even Connecticut.
What should you do if you encounter one? Avoid it if at all possible. Otherwise, follow these handy safety tips.
Frankly, we'd rather take our chances with the mountain lion rather than giving a cat a bath.
If you have to fight, here's are some strategies you can try.